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Welcome to Money As If, the exact opposite of whatever the hell “mogging" is. (Don't tell me.) Today’s beauty tutorials:
Our new-old savings rules
The most 2026 fresh green ever
Looksmaxxing, (briefly) explained
— Jeanine
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IN THESE, OUR (POSSIBLE) END TIMES
How much should we save?
I've been thinking a lot about savings lately, probably because, when everything costs at least $100, it becomes (a) extra-important and (b) more impossible to do.
And truth be told, there's such a huge gulf between how much money you should have in a rainy day fund and how much you can realistically save — it's enough to make even the most disciplined spenders (or savers) quit trying entirely.
Honestly? Could be worse!
I like to say, these days, that's the way things are, and then there's the way things should be, and so, with that in mind and after much deliberation, the way I figure it:
The new-school rule that we should aim to have 12 to 24 months' worth of expenses banked away for rainy days is … correct, given that about 25% of unemployed Americans currently have been without a job for 27 weeks or longer.
The old-school idea putting that number closer to three to six months is much, much (much) more realistic, less demoralizing, and, therefore, probably better to latch on to.
We shouldn't beat ourselves up so much or stop trying to save if we can't do either. Even small deposits here and there will add up (eventually) or come in handy if a tire bursts.
The best ways to save
In terms of the most effective ways to achieve any of those goals — save a lot, save enough(🤞), save a little — nothing has really changed. Which means I'm about to share some boring, but useful savings advice:
Open a high-yield savings account. Annual percentage yields (APYs) are still high-ish, relatively speaking. (You can still find plenty of online bank accounts that offer returns between 4% and 5%.) Plus, the separation between checking and savings (or savings and other savings) often provides enough friction to keep you from dipping into the funds for non-discretionary expenses. (FWIW, my Marcus by Goldman Sachs account has been the most powerful tool in my savings/passive income arsenal since around 2018.)
Set up an automatic rollover into your high-yield savings or at least between your checking and standard savings account, even if it's only $10 to $25. Bump that amount up slowly over time or alongside income increases.
Bank all windfalls. The one worth mentioning right now is your 2026 tax refund, but other common cash infusions include quarterly or annual bonuses, monetary birthday or Christmas gifts, insurance reimbursements (it happens), and claimed unclaimed property funds.
Tap a micro-savings app. The most popular ones include Acorns, which links to your debit or credit card, rounds up purchases, and deposits the difference into a diversified investment portfolio, and Oportun (formerly known as Digit), which analyzes your income and spending and rolls "safe" amounts into an in-app savings account. (See more top savings apps here.)
Cut one thing, just one thing that you really don't need anymore, and redirect that money into savings. Honestly, you can probably find something you're not using (and don't even realize you're still paying for) by combing through your last few bank or credit card statements. And, if not, you can always select your least useful or most expensive streaming subscription.
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FRESH GREEN
Nowadays, most financial takes are boilerplate. These aren't.
Gas prices hit a four-year high this week, so, even though we just talked about this, I feel the need to recirculate these not-at-all-fun (sorry) tips for saving on gas this summer (and possibly beyond).
Every now and then, you come across a personal finance story that has no major takeaway beyond "this is the most 2026 thing ever." Case in point: This WSJ report that bridal shops are now requiring brides to sign legal waivers precluding returns for dresses that no longer fit or can't be altered, due to rampant weight loss drug use. (One bride's non-paywalled story here.)
And then you immediately come across another, also from the WSJ, that highlights how (increasingly popular) prenuptial agreements now commonly include clauses for who gets control over the IVF embryos and/or cryptocurrency.
IT’S A TRAP
And, finally, today, in things Gen Z would buy if, you know, it could just buy things …
Maxxed out
I was toying with writing a lead story about looksmaxxing — the viral trend of maximizing your physical appearance, through excessive grooming, fitness, plastic surgery, and hammers (!) — after its apparent king, a Gen Z influencer who goes by the name Clavicular, somehow turned up in my Twitter feed. But, for the life of me, I couldn't bring myself to learn, share, or really think about what "mogging" means. (Kids! Who can understand anything they say?)
What I do feel compelled to point out is that looksmaxxing is essentially an (ahem, very 2026) means to sell skin care, hair care, botox, buccal fat removal, and butt-sculpting stretch pants, to people (and, perhaps, namely, teenage or college-aged boys) who wouldn’t otherwise be interested in them. (It's like the inverse of betting platforms Kalshi and Polymarket trying to find an "in" with young women.)
It's also a means to get you — or them — to spend close to $1,000 on whatever the hell this is:
It’s a face, neck, and chest anti-aging light therapy bundle from JOVS. That’s what it is.
And, listen, if you have the money and want to sleep with a $50 ace-bandage around your head, by all means, do you. I'll be the first one to tell you: We all have our guilty pleasures. But first note that (a) looksmaxxing is really just new-school looks-marketing and (b) results aren't guaranteed. (Also, you look great already, I swear!)
Got questions, comments, receipts, tips, thirst traps, etc. you’d like to share? Send them to [email protected].
This article is for educational purposes only. We don’t recommend or advise individuals to buy, not buy, sell, or not sell particular investments or other assets, as everyone’s circumstances are different. Also, it’s your money and ultimately up to you to decide the best use for it.